Glen Hansard

[dothprotesttoomuch]

You are aware people can have different opinions? I'm not saying Glen didn't do anything wrong. I'm saying there is no clear proof to condemn him. I have nothing further to add here.

Clearly.

Oh and it's not an opinion that he himself said he fell in love with a child (pre-17 years old) and went on to have a relationship with that child. Plus a 17 year old is not an adult either, nevermind the power imbalance there. These are the facts and the proof that you just keep ignoring.

 

[DaisyChain90]

Clearly.

Oh and it's not an opinion that he himself said he fell in love with a child (pre-17 years old) and went on to have a relationship with that child. Plus a 17 year old is not an adult either, nevermind the power imbalance there. These are the facts and the proof that you just keep ignoring.

Your username is accurate at least.

 

[MaryLou32]

Do you not realise whole families can be manipulated by groomers? That's their MO. They are as charming as they are manipulative. And my understanding is that quite a lot of stories/evidence did come out at the time they happened from those directly involved, but the threatened legal action by Hansard made them go away. This information is all out there, but you clearly want it handed to you on silver platter.

I can see why people who tried to speak out years ago but were silenced by these threats may not want to come forward now; they might feel it's not worth the hassle that will come from those who worship Saint Hansard and won't hear a bad word about him. Imagine the trial by media they would suffer and for what? Nothing will happen to a dead man, but their lives - which presumably have moved on in the interim years - will be turned upside down. Others, like Marketa, might still hero-worship him and not see anything wrong with his behaviour.

There are way too many stories, all along a similar vein, for there to be no smoke without fire. It's not just one or two stories either.

ETA: his own words about Marketa are also the proof you are looking for, but you seem to keep finding ways to ignore it. They got together when she was 17 and he said himself he fell in love with her years before that! When she was a literal child! What more proof do you need?! He said they waited until she was 17 and I do actually believe this, because I think men like Hansard are cunning and will skirt the lines of legality. But dont think he wasn't getting his jollies in places abroad where the age of consent was younger, while he waited/groomed Marketa AND her family.

Just to note- all the articles I've seen reference them getting together when she was 19- not 17.
Though he did say he had been in love with her for a couple of years previous, so when she was around 17.
Which as others has pointed out, may be icky/ creepy/uncomfortable, but not illegal.

 

[MaryLou32]

Clearly.

Oh and it's not an opinion that he himself said he fell in love with a child (pre-17 years old) and went on to have a relationship with that child. Plus a 17 year old is not an adult either, nevermind the power imbalance there. These are the facts and the proof that you just keep ignoring.

She was 19, not 17

 

[Carapop]

To be fair I haven’t seen any suggestions anywhere that his behaviour was ever criminal. But that doesn’t at all exclude the possibility that he abused his position of power and influence, pursued inappropriate relations with women significantly younger than him to an extent that many consider inappropriate, and had an enduring reputation related to such proclivities.

Also, has anyone else had a once off intimate encounter with a man after which they just felt icky? Nothing you could attest to or evidence in a court of law, and you somehow feel at least partially responsible because you were flattered by his attention and allowed him into your bed, so you don’t want to start pointing fingers and risk having your own character assassinated, but you would be very concerned if someone you knew and love later started dating them?

 

[Debra_Whinger]

I thought the story was that he was at a hotel? I guess he could have done both. Or neither. Anyone can say anything online and we may never know the actual truth of those 'missing' hours.

I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here and assume the rumours are malicious and he really was a man of outstanding character. Maybe his musician friend was from out of town specifically in Dublin for this sesh, his car broke down and the only way he could get to his hotel was a lift from Glen?

Or he offered to take this friend who lived far away to their home, got tired on the way back and decided to stay at a hotel for the night. As he couldn't sleep without his family there, he decided to head home after a couple of hours of tossing and turning. I guess there are multiple theories on what might have happened. Or then he just drove around in a poetic mood writing songs in his head not realising what time it was.

I'm really trying here because of course we all wish he was all the good things. It is also possible that one rumour I heard of him delivering organs to be transplanted to hospitals as a volunteer was true and he just got some urgent calls after a gig. But then... Occam's Razor

 

[Carapop]

Someone on Facebook comments today under a news article about the crash investigation:



Giving a lift to someone for several hours though...? How far did he drive? Did he have a spare helmet and would people just casually be up for a ride on a motor bike...? And since it's a musician, surely they had their instrument with them too?

I dunno... Sounds like a friend covering up for him. Conveniently when it's a pleasant story it's not hearsay that the person given a ride was your neighbour's co-worker's friend. When it's something unpleasant, your ex-girlfriend or sister is an unreliable and too distant source. Got it.

Ah here. How many degrees of separation is that Facebook follower from the apparent lift taker. It actually sounds like a pisatake. Opens the comment with a definitive authoritative statement as if it were fact, and then provides the most tenuous of links to the apparent source

I briefly dated a guy who tended bar in a music venue in Galway along with leading a relatively popular band at the time. He shared some stories re Hansard. This was twenty years ago. I was heartbroken as I loved the frames. I didn’t want to imagine this man who seemed so decent and wholesome and generous to also be someone who wanks on a girl in her sleep.

Actually, I was around 22 then and in college, my bar tending guitar playing beau was mid 30s. Musicians love a young groupie.

 

[dothprotesttoomuch]

Just to note- all the articles I've seen reference them getting together when she was 19- not 17.
Though he did say he had been in love with her for a couple of years previous, so when she was around 17.
Which as others has pointed out, may be icky/ creepy/uncomfortable, but not illegal.

Even if it was 19, there's nothing to suggest his comments about being in love with her was when she was 17. He left it very vague, but we do know he was in her life from when she was at least 13 years old and said he was falling in love with a child.

And I was the one who said I doubt anything illegal happened (ie a physical relationship) or certainly not anything that could be quantified, as men like that will wait until their victims are just legal enough.

 

[Ginnyjo]

The amount of stuff online that has been removed over the years, numerous accounts online detailing behaviour, and still women who didn't even know him will blindly defend him, while being on a website calling out influencers for day-to-day indiscretions.
Its sad watching people post their experiences and then being ripped to shreds by anon accounts asking, 'but what age were you', 'Did you tell anyone else' 'Marketa is still friends with him'.... and then having to delete them for their own safety.
It's so disheartening to see, and people ask why women don't speak out loud. If we've learnt anything, it should be to disagree with something if you want, but if people are posting their lived experiences, I'd rather give them the space and let the dust settle, rather than go to bat for a dead person I didn't know.

 

[shellie]

The amount of stuff online that has been removed over the years, numerous accounts online detailing behaviour, and still women who didn't even know him will blindly defend him, while being on a website calling out influencers for day-to-day indiscretions.
Its sad watching people post their experiences and then being ripped to shreds by anon accounts asking, 'but what age were you', 'Did you tell anyone else' 'Marketa is still friends with him'.... and then having to delete them for their own safety.
It's so disheartening to see, and people ask why women don't speak out loud. If we've learnt anything, it should be to disagree with something if you want, but if people are posting their lived experiences, I'd rather give them the space and let the dust settle, rather than go to bat for a dead person I didn't know.

Happens all the time. I used to follow many bands back in the day and when people started talking about who were creeps, it was easier naming bands who didn't have at least one member accused. Many of those I hung with were always 'believe the victim' when people were named and called out anyone who believed the person was innocent...until it was someone they liked. Then it was 'Maybe we should hear from both sides first or 'I'm not saying they are lying but it's clear they have issues'. Even when the person themselves finally admitted it or other band members revealed they saw evidence that proved it, it was 'Yeah but maybe they have it wrong'.

As you say it sucks.

 

[MaryLou32]

Even if it was 19, there's nothing to suggest his comments about being in love with her was when she was 17. He left it very vague, but we do know he was in her life from when she was at least 13 years old and said he was falling in love with a child.

And I was the one who said I doubt anything illegal happened (ie a physical relationship) or certainly not anything that could be quantified, as men like that will wait until their victims are just legal enough.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not leaping to his defence.
A couple of years is vague, you're absolutely right, but most of us would take that as about 2 years and would consider anyone under 18 to be a child. But who knows.

 

[Debra_Whinger]

The amount of stuff online that has been removed over the years, numerous accounts online detailing behaviour, and still women who didn't even know him will blindly defend him, while being on a website calling out influencers for day-to-day indiscretions.
Its sad watching people post their experiences and then being ripped to shreds by anon accounts asking, 'but what age were you', 'Did you tell anyone else' 'Marketa is still friends with him'.... and then having to delete them for their own safety.
It's so disheartening to see, and people ask why women don't speak out loud. If we've learnt anything, it should be to disagree with something if you want, but if people are posting their lived experiences, I'd rather give them the space and let the dust settle, rather than go to bat for a dead person I didn't know.

It's true. We rarely tell anyone or if we do, it's only the closest people. Rarely do we do something about it. For example I know I've been harassed, propositioned, even grabbed, multiple times over the years; on the dance floor, passing by a group of guys sitting at a table in a restaurant, even on the street walking with my guitar someone had the nerve to grab my a and give me a drunken compliment that did not feel like a compliment. Did I do something about it? No. I was too flustered and embarrassed, didn't want to cause any trouble and in some cases, only realised after the fact what just happened. If I had done something, people would've laughed it off, told me to take it as a compliment and not be a tight a.

Actually now I remember one occasion where I stood up. When I was a teen, the older boyfriend of a friend of my friend (sounds weird but my friend invited me to a party organised by her friend who I didn't know) wanted to "talk to me" and cornered me into a bedroom at a house party. I broke out of the room and stormed down the stairs. That time I did tell people what happened because obviously they saw me storming out, I told everyone that I just did not feel comfortable being alone with that guy. Guess did anyone believe me? Of course not. Everyone laughed and said I was probably too drunk for making such a misjudgement and the guy laughed it off as well.

That said, sometimes men get that too. I've heard some eye-opening stories from my husband and I must admit I thought men rarely suffered from such issues. And I'm not sure it's any easier for men to come forward if a woman has acted inappropriately towards them. As my husband said, "what can you do, you just tried to get away from them. You can't exactly be forceful with a woman trying to rip your clothes off because how does that look, like you're being the violent one." Plus, people do not really believe men accusing women of harassment. "Sure, she harassed you, sure you resisted, yeah right..."

I guess we have a long way to go with this whole thing, both women and men. The creeps get away and the victims are left feeling like they should just get over it.